Official site for the high/dark fantasy books of authors Barb Hendee and J. C. Hendee, including the Noble Dead Saga (a.k.a. The Noble Dead series), the Mist-Torn Witches series, the Vampire Memories series, and TNDS: Tales from the world of the Noble Dead Saga.

One of several things we get asked about again and again is collaboration. The other part is just how do we do it. And then comes the further detail of how it has (or hasn’t) changed over time.

To many people, there’s something rare — or just odd — about spouses who collaborate. Possibly more so than with other collaborative teams who don’t live on top of each. All writers differ a little or a lot in their processes and ways of looking at story-making and story-telling. Since that difference is hard to show with one voice…

Now that the draft for S3B2: The Dog in the Dark is off to our editor, and the raffles have been finished off (for now), it’s time to get back to some Q&As.

Over the months since we moved our two web sites to the Blogger.com system (NobleDead.com became NobleDead.org, BarbHendee.com became BarbHendee.org), a number of readers asked what happened to the “Glossary” from the old site. This usually came up in conjunction with “How do I pronounce such’n’such’s name?”

The old NobleDead.com site had server-side ASP/database services; the new site at NobleDead.org doesn’t have such. We’re investigating ways to emulate database operations through AJAX, JQuery, and XML data, but as yet we haven’t found a solution. We’re determined to succeed, so please be patient. As to pronunciation of names…

They don’t all follow the simplified, four-diacritical shared system we use for languages. You can still find the Pronunciation Guide at NobleDead.org under “Books.” But perhaps we can help out a little with names, though it might not be as simple as you’d assume. We wonder (with a wink) how many of you are would-be “sages” who’ve caught little details along the way and actually pieced them together, because a few of those have to do with names…

JESSICA TYNER wins the sixth and final copy of S2B3: Of Truth and Beasts!

Jessica’s information will shortly be on its way to the publisher once we re-verify the details with her.

THIS ENDS THE CURRENT SERIES OF RAFFLES

The draft version for S3B2: The Dog in the Dark is off to our editor, so we’re waiting to see what comes before we begin the first revisions. S3B1: Between Their Worlds is now out in the wild, wild world, and so it’s time for us to drop into a deep coma-like slumber for at least a day. Dragons and fairies – or if your prefer badgers and otters – need a little hibernation now and then!

It’s been fun, folks, and likely we’ll do this again… maybe with a slightly different twist in the near future. We want to thank you all for your involvement and enthusiasm. And a special thanks goes out to Brady McReynolds, Berkley/NAL Publicity, Penguin Group (USA). Brady is the one who has been processing the book prizes and initiated all of this in the first place.

THE DEADLINE FOR THE SIXTH AND FINAL WEEK IS TOMORROW, JANUARY 8th, MIDNIGHT, PST!

Be sure to get in your entry before then, as this is the last of our six giveaways of a hardcover edition of S2B3: Of Truth and Beasts. We’ll announce the winner the coming Monday afternoon.

It has been quite fun to run the raffle for all of you. Thanks should go out to the publicity department of Penguin-Putnam and its subsidiaries and imprints, and especially to Brady Reynolds therein, who has personal processed the books for the raffle winners.

The winner each week cannot enter further raffles in this series; those who have won a previously entered raffle must still re-enter a following one to be part of a new draw. If you need to catch up on how to enter, see the instructions below. [Open only to participants in the USA.]

Go to www.NobleDead.org, or click this following link to the Contact page. Submit the following complete information via that secured form:

Win a copy of S2B3: Of Truth and Beasts (hardcover)

We’re down to the last copy of S2B3: Of Truth and Beasts [hardcover] to be shipped straight to someone’s door. So this is your last chance to get your hands on it… well, other than buying one. And of course, S3B1: Between Their Worlds, is now on the shelves. Time to begin the new Phase/Series 3 of the Noble Dead Saga.

So get your raffle entries in, and we’ll be watching for them. [Open only to participants in the USA.] Instructions are reiterated below...

SHAWN MICALLEF wins the fifth of six copies of S2B3: Of Truth and Beasts!

This ends the fifth week’s raffle. Shawn’s information will shortly be on its way to the publisher once we re-verify all shipping information.

By tomorrow afternoon, we will open up the final week 6 of the raffle. Keep an eye out for the coming notice. Pass the word to any friends you think might enjoy getting in on this.

And yes, S3B1: Between Their Worlds, the beginning of the third of four Phases/Series in the Noble Dead Saga, should be available now in some venues (or within hours or a few days at others)!

All instructions for entering the raffle will be reiterated for those who missed weeks 1 through 5. All those who entered previous raffles and did not win may re-enter again to be considered for week 5; previous entries do not carry over to a following week’s raffle. Winners of a previous raffle may not enter following raffles. Until then, congratulations again to Shawn!